Genital herpes treatment does not prevent HIV (Reuters)

Reuters - Long-term treatment of genital herpes with the drug acyclovir does not reduce the rate of new HIV infections, researchers reported at the International AIDS Conference here last week.

Although curcumin is perhaps the best-known modern natural product of Ayurvedic origin, it is not as extensively used in Ayurvedic medicine for the heart as arjuna dimethylaminoethanol bitartrate pushkarmoola.

Arjuna (bark from the plant Terminalia arjuna) is a "heart tonic" made into a paste (arjunaghrtam), a powder (arjunatvak), a tonic bulk deanol bitartrate the herb and water (arjunatvagadi), or a "wine" (pardhadyaristam) made by fermenting the bark of the herbs with grape juice. There is laboratory research finding that it protects the heart muscle from tissue destruction when circulation is reduced, and there has been at least one clinical trial that found the herb helpful in treating left ventricular hypertrophy.

Dosage varies by preparation, and is best worked out with an herbalist familiar both with the herb in general and the specific herbal product. You should let your doctor know you intend to take arjuna if you wholesale lcarnitine on any prescription medications for congestive heart failure, atrial arrhythmia, or angina.

Pushkarmoola or pushkarmool (Inula racemosa) is an herb found in Kashmir. A nearly twenty-year-old study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology suggests that this herb probably is a natural beta-blocker, although its effects are largely limited to the heart. (Some of the older beta-blockers affect the lungs and can aggravate asthma.)

The herb is also used in treating angina, and is typically combined with another Indian herb, guggul (better known for lowering high cholesterol). Pushkarmoola's dosage also varies by product and production method, and you should let your physician know you are taking the herb if you are on any prescription medications.

Why would you use curcumin (or turmeric) with these two herbs, or these two herbs plus guggul? From the perspective of pharmacology, curcumin adds value to treatment with arjuna and pushkarmoola by helping lower cholesterol and reduce arterial inflammation. The three herbs together are even better for supporting heart health. Just be sure to work with your healthcare providers, not against them, and to keep your doctor informed of your choices in natural products so your prescriptions may be adjusted accordingly.

Read Curcumin and Coenzyme Q10 in Heart Health and Is There a Curcumin Cancer Cure? Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health.